The gmctv team has put up their predictions for this year’s Dove Awards, and several have put in their bids in the southern gospel category.

For vocalist of the year, senior editor Andy Argyrakis is rooting for Jason Crabb, saying, “He can sing country, soul, southern gospel and pop, nailing each note out of the park no matter what the style,” while managing editor Jenny Bennett has fingered out Doug Anderson:

I’m going out on the limb here to say that the artist who had everyone scratching their heads this year (simply because as one-fourth of Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Doug’s name had never been front and center before), is going to take it. He’s coming out with a solo record early next month, which I take as a sign of things to come, and he’s hardly missed a note in nearly 11 years as baritone for one of southern gospel’s most popular and accomplished groups. Plus it’s just nice to see someone who’s used to blending in stepping out into the limelight.

In the group of the year category, Bennett is once again betting on a Signature Sound win: “Given the above rationale of a member of this group getting a nod in the Male Vocalist category, I’m wondering if that could be a clue as to the industry’s overall recognition of what has proven to be one of southern gospel’s most beloved quartets.”

And finally, senior content strategist Melissa Riddle Chalos says it’s high time Wayne Haun got his just desserts in the Producer of the Year category:

I know you don’t know his name, and unless you’re a die-hard southern gospel fan (which I am not), you probably don’t know his work either. But if you looked at Haun’s body of work, you’d have to ‘get’ the fact that this guy deserves the ‘Producer’ Dove, the one bird that’s eluded him. He’s had 60 nominations and 13 wins for various categories, but he’s never won this category. It’s time.

As would be expected, predictions were overwhelmingly CCM, but it is nice to see southern gospel getting some critical attention from an outside circle. Tonight will tell who walks away with what.

[Update @9:24: As of now, the Gaither Vocal Band has won in the SG song and album categories, while other SG nominees have yielded to CCM wins in all major categories that have yet been announced. Song, Group, and Artist of the Year are coming up.]

[Update April 21: As of last night when I went to bed, SG had also lost Group of the Year, but this morning I read Daniel Mount’s report to find that surprisingly, SG took home Song of the Year with “Sometimes I Cry.” Congrats to Jason and Gerald Crabb—this is significant!]